This commentary, by SHARIAsource Morocco editor Ari Schriber, argues that the negative political ramifications of prosecuting the Baha’is in 1962 led the state to limit the scope of Islamic discourse in Moroccan law. In 1962, a Moroccan criminal court convicted fourteen Baha’is accused of attacking religious convictions and attacking public order (among other charges). Most … Continue reading Commentary: The Limits of State Religion in the Moroccan ‘Baha’i Affair’

This English-language summary issued by the Acehnese government (Indonesia) explains the all-encompassing role of sharīʿa in Aceh. It clarifies that sharīʿa does not apply to non-Muslims, and that its implementation in no way repudiates human rights standards, including freedom of religion. Read the document.

The Plaintiff, Marcus Leeotis Watts, sued the Respondents, various prison officials at the Perry Correctional Institution in South Carolina, for allegedly violating his rights under RLUIPA and the First Amendment when the prison failed to provide Muslim prisoners with ḥalāl meat. The Respondents contended that the vegetarian meal option that complied with Islamic law was adequate, … Continue reading Watts v. Byars (D.S.C. 2013): Religious Accommodations for Prisoners

SHARIAsource editor Will Smiley shares in the Washington Post his expertise on the motives of new anti-sharia legislation in some states. Citation: Marcelo, Philip. "On Muslims’ agenda: Fight anti-Sharia proposals in US states." Washington Post, March 27, 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/on-muslims-agenda-fight-us-proposals-to-ban-sharia-law/2017/03/27/430e4378-12fc-11e7-bb16-269934184168_story.html?utm_term=.42a6665938f4. “Sharia should be very concerning to all of us,” said state Rep. Heidi Sampson, a Maine Republican who has proposed … Continue reading Excerpt :: On Muslims’ agenda: Fight anti-Sharia proposals in US states

Jan Jaap de Ruiter discusses the public debate on Islam and sharīʿa in the Netherlands shortly before the March 15th parliamentary elections. Update from the author, March 20, 2017: The parliamentary elections on March 15th resulted in a modest gain of the populist voice. Though the Netherlands will continue to have a coalition government, the end of the elections … Continue reading The Ongoing Public Debate on Islam in the Netherlands

UK/Europe/Southeast Asia editor Rachel Mazzarella chronicles the history of the French burkini ban and its potential efficacy. She weighs the policy options of the European Court of Human Rights and how it may attempt to integrate concepts of public safety, religious freedom, and personal beliefs in a country where recent terrorist attacks may be stressing traditional beliefs … Continue reading A Brief History of the French Burkini Ban

U.S. editor Abed Awad contextualizes a recent case in which a Muslim inmate filed suit against an American prison for failing to provide a halal meal. On August 17, 2016, the American Civil Liberties Union, on behalf of a Muslim inmate, filed suit against Boone County Sheriff. Gannon Thomas v. Boon County Sheriff, No. 1:16-cv-2189. Gannon Thomas … Continue reading Does a Muslim Inmate Have a First Amendment Right to a Halal Meal?